Prisoners Privileges Regarding Marriage & Conjugal Visits

Great Debates
1

You can either believe that people in the system should not be allowed to marry and have conjugal visitation in the slammer OR think regular contact with visitors significantly enhances an inmate’s quality of life and establishes a lifeline between the inmate and the free community. Believing that ties with loved ones are critical to inmates’ successful return to the community, and visiting helps maintain these relationships.

I think prisoners deserve -0- rights.

After all aren’t people serving time for doing crimes supposed to lose the rights and privileges law-abiding folk enjoy? For better or worse, marriage is still a sacred institution, one that certainly should not be celebrated or officiated in a penal institution

Once we allow marriages behind bars, aren’t we opening a proverbial can of worms in the can, and inviting requests to host other significant ceremonies in the slammer?

Prison isn’t supposed to be fun. We don’t allow inmates to vote, or dine out or catch the latest movie at the multiplex and we shouldn’t permit them to get married or have conjugal visits while incarcerated.

Isn’t the divorce rate high enough in this country?

Conjugal visits should be abolished because, in prison, some inmates are “situational homosexuals.” When an inmate’s spouse or lover comes for a conjugal visit, HIV can be brought into the prison or taken out to the community beyond the prison gates.

Condoms are not handed out in prison for conjugal visits. The visit is scheduled in a room or trailer and that is the only duty of the prison system. They don’t care if safe sex is performed.

What about the children that are born because of a conjugal visit? Who is going to support that single parent? Food stamps, welfare and aid for dependant children? Is that fair to the community to have to pay for that? Then there is the question of whether children should be separated from their incarcerated parents or exposed to prisons. The effects of such visits on the child when the visit ends, the effects on the child of seeing the often frightening physical structure of prisons, and the possible long-term effects on the child of living in a prison for short or long periods of time are all significant issues

The current states that allow conjugal visits are: California Connecticut Mississippi New Mexico New York & Washington

Reserve the real ball and chain for the prisoners, and leave matrimony and sex to those who can flourish in the union on the outside

2

I am of the mind that prisoners should have plenty of rights, just not freedom. That is why they are in a cell. We are not attempting to dehumanize them. That’s why they can have mail, phone calls, and watch television. That’s what it means to be human in today’s world. We are not trying to make them non-humans. We are trying to punish them by a removal of freedom. Is there some overlap? Sure. Is it really such a difficult line to draw anyway? I don’t think so.

Further, if the guy is already married, forbidding conjugal visits is also punishing his wife above and beyond having her husband removed from her (or vice versa, of course, stupid lack of gender neutral pronouns).

3

I’m so confused. Aren’t you a single parent, Isabelle?

Not all prisoners are incarcerated for decades at a time. What if the father is due to be released in a few months?

Your main reason for abolishing conjugal visits is, well, interesting. Are you aware that homosexual sex does not automatically lead to HIV?

To what other significant ceremonies are you referring? If someone wants to marry an incarcerated person, I don’t see what business it is of mine.

4

My husband works in corrections, so I hear a lot about these sorts of issues. Our state doesn’t allow conjugal visits, but it does allow inmates to marry, and to leave the institution to attend funerals.

I’m opposed to both.

5

Are there any studies that show if conjugal visits reduce at all the rate of prison rape in the states that allow it? If so, that might be one reason to keep such programs.

6

While prison rape is a serious problem, it’s not as common as the public percieves it to be. During the time my husband was the investigator at the prison in which he works, there were only a couple of allegations. Many prisons have switched over to open dormatories instead of cells. The privacy needed for rape is difficult to come by.

Rape does occur in prison, but not necessarily because the men are deprived of sex. Conjugal visits wouldn’t “cure” a prison rapist. Especially in a prison enviornment, rape is about power and dominance, not necessarily about sex. They derive their pleasure out of causing another person pain and humiliation. Even if they were offered a conjugal visit every day, sexual predators would probably still rape.

7

Lessee … allegations of rape were rare … in a place where they kill snitches … imagine that …

8

There hasn’t been a killing in this prison for close to thirty years.

If an inmate fears for his life, he will be moved to another institution. An inmate can be placed in protective custody in his home institution simply by asking. He runs no risk by making an allegation.

9

No rights? I think everyone does and should have some rights, eg. no torture.

More to the point, some things are permitted out of practicality - eg. prisoners are allowed to talk to each other (if that isn’t a right) because putting everyone in solitary for years, I think, makes people unsuitable for any sort of society after prison.

Punishments can be imposed for several reasons: justice, deterent, prevention of crimes. Obviously conjugal visists don’t allow the prisoner any more scope for crime. IMHO it’s unlikely to really lessen the deterant - do people seriously consider the details of prison life when they commit a crime? I think most crimes are mainly impulse, and hope not to get caught. That leaves justice.

Should we pubish prisoners as harshly as possible? Maybe there should be some trade offs, eg. longer sentaces if you allow more comfortable life. I don’t know.

10

Not everyone who is incarcerated is a total write off.
The majority of incarcerated individuals will one day be released, and once again become a productive member of society.

What constitutes " -0- rights "?

Inmates have basic rights which are protected by the U.S. Constitution.
In addition, they have the right to be free from inhumane conditions, because those conditions constitute “cruel & unusual” punishment. (Under the Eighth Amendment)

When someone is sentenced to prison, his punishment is to serve said sentence, he is not sent to prison to be punished.

Such as?

Prison is not fun, this I can tell you with certainty!
Depending on what type of prison you are talking about, remember there are several types of security. It’s not uncommon for inmates in a minimum security institution to order a meal from a restaurant, or even get an Unescorted Temporary Absence (UTA) to go see a movie, or do some shopping.
Ok I’ll bite, you say they shouldn’t be allowed to get married or have conjugal visits while incarcerated. Explain how us as a society will be better off by not allowing inmates to get married, or share conjugal visits.

Ok, I’m lost. This has to do with what? Rather than speculate, I will wait for clarification.

This is weak. The spreading of disease, AIDS or any STD can be just as easily spread in the community as it can inside an institution.
HIV exists in the community, and it exists inside the prison walls, you think by allowing conjugal visits, this will increase the overall number of people infected?

This is not true. Most institutions hand out condoms free of charge whether conjugal visits are permitted or not.
Conjugal visits are normally offered in a residential setting (a house or mobile home on prison property)
Prisons can’t force people to engage in safe sex, but they definitely encourage it.

You raise some very good points here, and I agree.
Many a baby are conceived inside the confines of your neighborhood institution, and this is a cost of having this program.
Regular law abiding poor folk can decide to have children, and then seek welfare, is this fair to the tax payer? No, but it happens.
I would think the benefits of conjugal visits would outweigh the negatives.

What is better for us as a society?
Lock people up, throw them in a dark hole until they get released?

Encourage and promote offenders to live as law abiding citizens upon their release by offering programs such as conjugal visits.

I can understand why people have a hard line attitude when it comes to dealing with offenders, but everything requires a “balance”, and dealing with inmates is no different.
How we treat the people we incarcerate is a direct reflection as to the type of society we are.

Regards

11

I just don’t see how allowing conjugal visits or weddings in prison benefits society in any way. It certainly benefits the inmate by allowing him to have sex, but what does that accomplish?

If the person on the outside truly loves the inmate, then they will wait for them. They can visit the inmate normally, write letters, and call them in the meantime, until the inmate is released, and then celebrate their marriage. (Personally, I wouldn’t much cherish the memory of a hasty wedding in a prison cell block.)

Sex, while being a lovely part of marriage, doesn’t strengthen the union in any meaningful way. Many marriages survive, even thrive, without any sex at all. (Do you think Christopher Reeve’s wife loves her husband any less, or feels that they don’t have a strong bond?)

Nor does having a lot of sex make a person a law-abiding citizen. Having sex with their wives or girlfriends certainly didn’t keep these guys out of prison.

I’m sorry, but prison is supposed to be a punishment, a seperation from your loved ones and a lack of life’s “goodies.” We shouldn’t be striving to make it as much like “home life” as possible. If anything, the relative deprivation should make them yearn for the law-abiding life, and dread the idea of returning to prison.

12

WOW! So many responses that I need to clarify. I will do my best to answer.

First…

This is where the “quote” comes back to bite me in the butt. What I Meant by saying I think that should have -0- rights meant…I do not think they should be permitted cable, air conditioning, smoking privlidges, conjugal visits, time out for a funeral, special meals (currently from the jails I have read about they offer vegetarian, kosher, alternative and regular) I do not think that a prisoner such as the guy that claimed he was a vampire and needed a special diet and when he didn’t get it he filed a lawsuit. I don’t think they should have rights to file frivilous lawsuits. I don’t think they should get the opportunity to get a degree from a college (unless they or their familes paid for the service)

I agree that they have the right not to be tortured. There are some rights that just go without saying.

I hope I clarified my point.
Thanks for your response.

13

I guess when I wrote the initial thread I was thinking of prisoners that are lifetime prisoners such as The Menedez brothers or Danny Rolling Or WIlliam Cruse. Personally I think these guys are write offs. Somewhere along the way I waivered and thought of other prisoners such as 25 years to spend in the pokey.

Now I don’t believe any of the people I mentioned are allowed such privlidges (so don’t come back and flame me) but they are the only names I knew and was using them just as a reference.

14

Very good point Juanita Tech yes I am a single parent and am NOT on any type of government program. I support all of my children on my own. Been at my current job for 9 years.

I was perhaps wrong to make the assumption that those who became single parents while their partner was in jail coulnd’t do it on their own. I guess I watch too many prison movies and looked at the sterotypes.

15

That was not my main reason. I do not think prisoners deserve the priviledge.

yes I am quite aware that homosexual activity does not always lead to HIV. However I have read that the prisoners are not tested for AIDS unless they become ill. Therefore you do not know who is infected and who is not. That is a nasty game of Russian Roulette to play. Considering the numbers I have seen of the activity (and I asssume they don’t keep the same partners all the time)passing along the infection is at a high rate.

In the cases where there are “situational homosexuals” if they then revert when their partner comes for a conjugal visit at what risk are they then exposing AIDS?

16

The special meals are a necessity for some people whose religious beliefs forbid the eating of certian foods. No matter what an inmate has done, I wouldn’t force a Jew or Muslim to eat pork or starve. (And pork is a BIG part of regular inmate meals.) I have no problem with kosher or vegetarian meals being offered. That’s just common decency, in my opinion.

Inmates in the prion in which my husband works technically get “cable” but it’s not cable I, as a private citizen, would pay a dime to get. They only recieve four or five channels, one of which is an institutional informational channel.

The reason for cable is so that the administation can control access to what they’re watching, not so the inmates can get more choices. They can block out certain programming with cable, but not if the inmates are just watching TV with “rabbit ears.”

Inmates need some recreational activities. The last thing you want is an institution filled with angry, bored inmates who have nothing to do but think up trouble.

Having some privledges is improtant for the old “carrot and stick” equation. You can’t keep an inmate in line unless you can threaten his misbehavior with loss of privledges. My husband once averted a violent disturbance by threatening to take away the inmates’ popcorn.

However, I strongly feel that allowing conjugal visits and marriage in prison is going too far.

17

Isabelle, thats insane.

So you think Jewish/Islamic prisoners should be forced to eat pork products or starve that day?

Should Prisoners not bee allowed the chance to grieve the loss of a family member?

Should they not have recourse of the law if a crime has been committed against them?
They shouldn’t have the oppertunity to take part in a vital rehabilitation programme (like education) so that they can be productive members of society when they are released?

Is the concept of forgiveness completely anathema to you? and you call yourself a Christian?

Shame. Shame. Shame.

18

Should we next play pomp and circumstance over the jail PA system? Caps and gowns too?

19

So you think Jewish/Islamic prisoners should be forced to eat pork products or starve that day?
----No not at all. I made a graver error when typing and did NOT read my response before posting. I think the current meal selection is sufficient. I do not think they should offer any other specialty food selections (such as to accomodate a vampire) The ones I mentioned cover a wide variety of sorts
Should Prisoners not bee allowed the chance to grieve the loss of a family member?
----If you can’t do the time then don’t do the crime.
Should they not have recourse of the law if a crime has been committed against them?
----yes However frivilous law suits should not be accepted

They shouldn’t have the opportunity to take part in a vital rehabilitation programme (like education) so that they can be productive members of society when they are released?
—Why should prisoners get the opportunity to get a college education at the tax payers expense? Look at all the lawabiding citizens (I speak directly from a single parent household) Do our
law abiding kids not deserve the opportunity more then a prisoner who has done a crime? I did not say that they did NOT deserve the chance at all I think I said
IF THEIR FAMILES PAID FOR IT THEY COULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY What is wrong with that suggestion?
I do think they should be given high school education / GED at no cost.

Is the concept of forgiveness completely anathema to you? and you call yourself a Christian?
-----There is a difference between forgiveness and
the law of consequence Don’t confuse the two.

20

If you want scriptural backing…The law of consequence is the reason we need a Savior…We sin…there are consequences for our sin…God demands Justice…Mercy can’t rob Justice…thus we needed Christ to step in and pay the debt…Thus God is then both merciful and just…